The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-05
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
Abstract of the Subjects Discussed in
Secretary Lamar's Annual Report.
the Pension Bureau-The Population and
Wealth Of Our Eight Territories.

port begins with q statement concerning the
public lands, in which it is stated that the guam
tity of land restored to the public domain since
March 4, 1885. is 81, e24.4s2 acres. This has
been accomplished largely by the cancellation of
railway grants, the companies having failed to
comply with the terms under which the lands
were given them The number of acres of land
disposed Of during the PAST fiscal year. under
the various acts Of Congress authorizing sales,
entries and selections, aggregates % ILL., 400 81,
of which 746 637. 90 acres were Indian lands,
ssh .807 SO railroad selections, and 2 109 ALL 43
selections under other grants the aggregate
amount showing an increase of 4, 862, 524 %
acres as compared with the previous year. The
receipts from disposal of the public lands were
$40. 7s3 921 y; from sales of Indian lands,
81 4s4 3O2 80; a total of s12, PCS. 224 OF; an in
crease over the previous year Of $3,247, 12LO8.
To which is to be added ,291 received on &C
count OF timber depredations, and $I2, 493 So re-
ceved for certified copies of records furnished
by tie General Land Office, making receipts OF
that bureau from ali sources $12, 289, 008 81.
The total number of entries and filings made
during the year was 248.178, covering 38337,-
D39 Al acres; an increase of LILO over the pre-
vious year; whilst the number of original home
stead entries was 81, 023. covering an area of
1854. $50. 16 acres; decrease of 500 entries
and $50, 785. 60 acres. Final proof was made on
19, S66 homestead entries, of which 10. 20I were
committed homestead entries and 321 purchased
under the act of juno 10, 1880; increase of
$40 entries and OF s5.5O5 65 acres. The pre-
emption entries were Il, 403, embracing 3. IT,
ALL 80 acres; an increase of 1901 entries and of
1893. 1913 IL acres.
Under the desert-land act 2,242 entries were
made, embracing 75l. Ola O9 acres; decrease OF
276 entries and 2 GA 81 acres.
Under the timber and stone act of June 3.
1873, 655 entries, embracing S0,622 acres, were
made, being an increase of 226 entries and 49,,
928 acres compared with 1886.
During the year 1852 mineral entries
made, covering g. 787. 50 acres. This is de-
of 10 entries and increase of 7,400
acres This does not include 81 coal entries.
covering ii, 461 acres, an increase of acres and
The number of patents issued during the year
upon agricultural lands was "a, 558, increase
of 4 073 over the previous year. according to the
report of the Commissioner as compared with
1885, of 4S, GA
The Secretary's statement concerning the ad-
Justment of railway land grants has already
been printed.
The work of returning 10 the people the large
areas of the public land hitherto illegally appro-
priared by corporations and individuals engaged
in the cattle business the plains, has pro-
crossed most successfully during the past year
The papers transmitted from the General Land
Office show that 465 illegal Enclosures, aegre-
eating in area nearly 1000. 900 acres have been
reported. In 1913 of these cases. involving g. 275,
900 acres proceedings have been instituted. and
In 165 cases the special agents report the re-
moval, complete or in progress, OF the illegal
fences throwing open to public use and occu-
pancy 3, 1894, 900 acres
great deal of space is devoted to the Indians
and the outbreak in Colorado is thus summar-
lied by General Crook: 'The origin of the
element was the attempt of the State authori-
ties to enforce the State game and other laws
against the Indians, who were surprised and
alarmed by the methods employed by game
warden and the sheriff to arrest several of their
number under State process for violation of its
laws. The Indians, alarmed and evading
rest, were pursued by the sheriff with his posse,
subsequently, joined and supported by the State
militia Such a procedure was well calculated
to precipitate not only resistance. but an out
break by uncivilized Indians ignorant of the
laws governing civilized communities, and
wholly unacquainted with the methods en-
ployed for enforcing them. They were able to
comprehend neither the meaning of warrant
nor the authority of the sheriff. Worse
entirely the defensive all the time.
avoiding hostilities and who in parley had
given assurances that they were going to their
reservation as fast as possible, in obedience to
the instructions Of their agent. and had received
assurances from those pursuing them that they
would not be molested. were attacked IN their
camp near the border of their reservation while
they were quietly cooking breakfast in the
midst of their wives and children, were driven
from their supplies of dried meat, robes. and
7eltries, their horses, cattle, sheep and goats
were appropriated or scattered. and only a small
portion of them have since been restored to the
prepared
staten ents and evidence of these Indians at the
agency, and recently received from of the
United States Indian inspectors, for property
which they were forced to abandon which
was taken from them while fleeing TO the reser-
walton. and which has not been restored to
them, aggregate the sum OF $50, 05O. %. The
casualties, all told. SO far as the Indians are
concerned. were five men, women. and children
killed, and seven seriously wounded"
The report of the Commissioner of Pensions
discloses a very satisfactory condition of affairs
of bureau
dences greatly increased efficiency, and shows
diminished expenditure, i. e.. while the pay
ments have increased and while the volume of
work has been greatly enlarged, the expenses
thereof have been diminished, clerk-hire has
been less. and all the incidental expenses have
been decreased. 1t also appears that the aver
age ann ual value thereof has been added to.
/ desire to call attention particularly to the
suggestions of the Commissioners for additional
will, In my Judgment tend to the harmonious
and equitable administration of the laws now
governing the granting Of pensions. and will re-
move many of the Inconsistencies and incongru-
tiles of existing law, and very many Of the pres
ent causes of complaint
In addition to the suggestions made by the
Commissioner of Pensions, my attention has
been called to the fact that, under existing laws,
dependent orphan children of deceased soldiers,
who may be entitled pension. cannot have
such pension continued beyond the age of
teen, regardless of their physical or mental con-
dition- There are few instances in which such
children are (physicaliy and mentality utterly
incapacitated for earning their own livelihood,
and in instances where it is made clearly TO ap-
pear that the condition of Vnental imbecility
insanity or such feebleness of mind body,
exists as to make these children utterly helpless
for earning their own livelihood. it seems right
that pensions should be continued to them for a
longer period.
The comparisons instituted in the report of
the Commissioner of Pensions with the pension
laws and systems of other modern powers, tend
20 show with unmistakable clearness, first the
libsrality of the government of the United
States in dealing with its pensioners, far
exceeding in general allowance and in the
aggregate the amounts paid out bv the govern
nnents Of other lands to their pensioners; and in
the next place, showing that IN our American
system comparatively few distinctions are made
account of rank, compared with the dis
tnctions made this account in the other
Bystems There prevails in the system OF pen
sion laws of this country the great democratic
Idea of the equality of man, and pensions are
Issued rather on the ground of individual
nisablemant of the rank